Heterogeneous projections of the cat posteroventral cochlear nucleus.
The anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin was used to identify the projections of the posteroventral cochlear nucleus in cats. After labeling predominately cells of the core and multipolar regions, varicose fibers were observed in a variety of auditory nuclei. Ipsilaterally, most varicose fibers were located in periolivary regions situated lateral to the medial superior olive of the superior olivary complex. Contralaterally, the majority of labeled fibers were located in the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body and the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. Labeled varicose fibers were also observed in regions not commonly identified as receiving input from the posteroventral cochlear nucleus. These regions included bilaterally the principal nuclei of the superior olivary complex, some periolivary regions, and the sagulum, as well as the ipsilateral intermediate and dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, inferior colliculus, and lateral pontine nucleus. Both similarities and differences were observed in the projections of the core and multipolar regions. With the exception of calyceal-type endings in the contralateral ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, the varicose fibers in all regions, including the contralateral medial nucleus of the trapezoid body, were beaded, en passant type terminal varicosities.
Thompson
A M
AM
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190, USA. ann-thompson@ouhsc.edu
D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002415:Cats / Q000502:physiology*; D017626:Cochlear Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008845:Microinjections; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; C100156:leukoagglutinins, plants